US on Track to Triple Patriot Missile Production, Pentagon Says

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Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the two major contractors for PAC-3 missile production, intend to triple missile production from 500 units per year to 1,500 over the next seven years.

The US military has reached an agreement with the defense industry to triple the production of its most important air defense missile.  

On Wednesday, the Pentagon, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing agreed on a joint plan to significantly increase the production of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement air defense interceptor.  

How the US Plans to Triple PAC-3 Production  

“To build a true Arsenal of Freedom, we must strengthen every link in the chain,” Michael Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, said in a news release.  

The agreement will take place over the course of seven years.

The Department of Defense made separate agreements with Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the two major contractors for the PAC-3. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the missile, but Boeing makes several of its most important components, including its all-important “seeker” targeting unit. The total value of the contract is unclear, but each PAC-3 interceptor missile costs roughly $7 million.

Right now, annual production of the PAC-3 totals around 500 missiles. Tripling production will help replenish the US military’s stocks, as well as those of allies in the Middle East.

“This agreement with Boeing is a direct reflection that speed, volume, and a resilient supply chain are paramount. We are moving beyond the old model and forging direct partnerships with critical suppliers to ensure the entire defense industrial base is postured to expand production and deliver the decisive capabilities our warfighters need at speed and scale,” Duffey said.  

The ongoing war in Iran has showcased that air defense operations are costly. The US military and its allies have expended hundreds of MIM-104 Patriot interceptors in trying to stop Iran’s ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as the ever-deadly one-way attack unmanned aerial systems. Iran has one of the largest ballistic missile and kamikaze drone arsenals in the world. Countering the thousands of munitions Tehran has fired against US bases, Israel, and regional allies has required a vast quantity of interceptor missiles—straining the US defense industrial base and potentially jeopardizing other areas of the world.

About the MIM-104 Patriot System

Year Introduced: 1984

Number Built: Battery: ~1,300 Missiles: ~10,000

Price: Battery: $1 billion Missiles: ~$7 million each

Missiles: ~$7 million each

Armament: PAC-2 or PAC-3 missiles (upgrades ongoing)

Missile Speed: PAC-2 GEM+: 5,630 km/h (3,500 mph) PAC-3: 6,170 km/h (3,830 mph)

PAC-2 GEM+: 5,630 km/h (3,500 mph)

PAC-3: 6,170 km/h (3,830 mph)

Radar Range: 60+ miles (+100 km)

Altitude Ceiling: 75,000 feet (22,860 m)

The MIM-104 Patriot consists of three key components: the radar set, control station, and missile launcher. Importantly, the weapon system does not need to operate as a whole, and crews often disperse the radar and missile launcher, ensuring that if an enemy missile or one-way attack unmanned aerial system strikes their position, at least they will be safe in the control station.  

The radar has the ability to scan the airspace around it for hundreds of miles and spot incoming aircraft, missiles, and drones. Any findings go to the crew, which is located in the control section. The crew is responsible for engaging targets, communicating their findings, and coordinating with friendly assets in the battlespace to ensure that there are no blue-on-blue or friendly fire incidents. 

Lastly, the missile launcher, the kinetic arm of the Patriot, uses PAC-2 or PAC-3 interceptors. Unlike other air defense munitions that are designed to explode near their intended target and bring it down with debris, the PAC-2/3 interceptor relies on hit-to-kill technology, meaning that it aims directly for the incoming munition or aircraft and destroys it with kinetic force.  

The MIM-104 Patriot is likely the world’s best air defense system, and is in use by the United States and 17 other allied nations. The agreement to triple the production of the system’s most advanced interceptor is a step in the right direction to ensure adequate air defense capabilities for the US military and its partners around the globe. 

About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou  

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.   

© The National Interest